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Education Ministry releases 8-week alternative academic calendar for secondary students

Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank'

New Delhi (NVI): The Ministry of Education today released Alternative Academic Calendar (AAC), developed by NCERT, for the secondary level students for the next eight weeks.

The alternative calendar maps the themes with learning outcomes to facilitate the assessment of progress in the learning of children.

The Education Minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’. while tweeting about alternative academic calendar wrote, “Launched the Alternative Academic Calendar (AAC) for the next 8 weeks for the secondary stage today. Alternative Academic Calendar for 12 weeks for primary & upper primary stages and AAC for secondary & higher secondary stages for 4 weeks had already been released.”

“This Calendar contains detailed guidelines for teachers on the use of technology and social media tools to impart education while the students are at home,” he further tweeted.

He said that the calendar contains guidelines to impart education while the students are at home.

The calendar caters to the need of all children including Divyang children (Children with Special Need) – link for Audio books, Radio programmes, Video programme will be included, Pokhriyal added.

The Ministry of Health and Family Affairs, on September 8, had released guidelines for the partial reopening of schools from September 21 on a voluntary basis for Classes 9 to 12.

However, as in previous calendars, the Education Ministry suggests the use of technology and social media tools to impart education to students during the lockdown.

The ministry had earlier released a 12-week alternative academic calendar for primary and upper primary students.

Schools and other education institutions were shut down on March 16 following the spike in COVID-19 cases across the country.

-CHK

Two militant associates held with Rs 6 lakh cash in J&K’s Pulwama

Terrorist arrested
Representational image

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir police today arrested two militant associates of the Al-Badr terrorist outfit along with Rs six lakh in cash at Ladhoo crossing in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, officials said.

A police official said that acting on specific information, Awantipora Police and security forces in the wee hours today arrested two militant associates of the Al-Badr outfit, who were travelling on a scooty from southern district of Shopian to Khrew area in Pulwama.

The two militant associates have been identified as Rayees-ul-Hassan- resident of Gadikhal, Awantipora and Mushtaq Ahmad Mir- resident of Dadsara, Awantipora, Pulwama district, the official said.

“Incriminating material of Al-Badr outfit has been recovered from their possession which includes Rs 06 Lakh (Six Lakh) Indian currency meant for militant funding of Al-Badr outfit. The scooty bearing registration number— JK01AC- 4035 used for the commission of crime has also been seized,” the official said.

“Case FIR number 55/2020 under relevant sections of Unlawful Activities Act has been registered in Police Station Khrew. “Further investigations are on,” he added.

-ARK

Asian economies to contract in 2020 for first time in 60 years: ADB

New Delhi (NVI): Coronavirus-ravaged economies across the Asian Pacific will contract this year for the first time since the early 1960s, according to the the Asian Development Bank (ADB) forecast.

It will be the first time in six decades that “developing Asia” – a designation that includes 45 countries – will see a regional slump.

Developing Asia – stretching from the Cook Islands in the Pacific to Kazakhstan in Central Asia – is expected to contract by 0.7 per cent in 2020, throwing tens of millions of people into poverty due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The contraction would be the first since 1961, when growth was down 8 per cent. However, developed countries such as Japan and Australia are excluded.

The bank’s Asian Development Outlook Update shows about three-quarters of the region’s economies are forecast to slump this year.

But the region is expected to rebound strongly in 2021, growing by 6.8 per cent next year.

It revises down its earlier projection of a paltry 0.1 per cent growth in the region’s gross domestic product (GDP) for 2020.

South Asia is likely to be the worst affected, while China is bucking the trend.

India’s economy is expected to contract 9 per cent this year, while China’s growth is forecast at 1.8 per cent. Southeast Asia is likely to see a drop of 3.8 per cent.

Furthermore, tourism-dependent island economies, in particular, have seen wrenching economic contractions.

Fiji’s economy is expected to shrink by 19.5 per cent, while the Maldives is likely to see a 20.5 per cent contraction.

China’s economy is expected to rebound by 7.7 per cent in 2021, while India will also bounce back with 8 per cent growth next year, the ADB says.

But the bank warns that a recovery could be derailed by a prolonged pandemic and tougher containment measures.

-CHK

Govt bans export of onions with immediate effect

onion
(Representational/file image)

New Delhi (NVI): The government of India banned the export of all onion varieties, to contain prices of the commodity in the domestic market and increase its availability.

“The export of all varieties of onions is prohibited with immediate effect,” the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) yesterday said in a notification

The government had banned all varieties of onion except those cut, sliced, or broken in powder form amid a shortage in supply.

India is the world’s biggest exporter of onions, a staple of South Asian cooking. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Gujarat are major onion producing states.

While countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka rely on Indian shipments.

Notably, 40 per cent the country’s total onion crop is produced in the Kharif season and the rest during the rabi season. The Kharif crop, however, cannot be stored.

The decision to ban export of onion have been taken in wake of recent spike in onion prices due to a shortage of supply from the Nashik region

In Delhi, onion prices were ruling at around Rs 40 per kilogram. Wholesale price inflation for onion stood at (-) 34.48 per cent in August.

Likewise, the wholesale prices in India’s largest onion trading hub, Lasalgaon in the western state of Maharashtra, have nearly trebled in a month to 30,000 rupees per tonne.

Earlier in March this year, the government lifted nearly six-month-old ban on export of onions to help boost the income of farmers.

The DGFT, an arm of the commerce ministry, which deals with exports and imports-related had announced removing the minimum export price (MEP) for outward shipments of the commodity from March 15.

However, in the financial year 2019-20, India exported USD 440 million of onions and USD 198 million during the April-June quarter of the current fiscal.

-RJV

State-wise details of Covid-19 cases in India

New Delhi (NVI): The total number of coronavirus cases in India has reached 49,30,237, after 83,809 new cases were reported in the past 24 hours, according to Union Health Ministry data.

The country’s death toll has gone up to 80,776 after 1,054 new fatalities were reported in the country during this period.

In terms of total number of cases, Maharashtra continues to be the worst affected state with 10,77,374 coronavirus cases followed by Andhra Pradesh with 5,75,079 cases, Tamil Nadu with 5,08,511 positive cases.

Total positive cases in States/UTs:

Andaman and Nicobar Islands- 3,557

Andhra Pradesh- 5,75,079

Arunachal Pradesh- 6,298

Assam- 1,44,166

Bihar- 1,60,366

Chandigarh- 8,245

Chhattisgarh- 67,327

Dadra Nagar Haveli & Diu – 2,763

Delhi- 2,21,533

Gujarat- 1,14,834

Goa- 24,898

Haryana– 96,129

Himachal Pradesh- 9,923

Jammu and Kashmir- 55,325

Jharkhand- 62.737

Karnataka- 4,67,689

Kerala- 1,10,818

Ladakh- 3,419

Madhya Pradesh- 90,730

Maharashtra- 10,77,374

Manipur- 7,971

Meghalaya- 3,864

Mizoram- 1,468

Nagaland- 5,214

Odisha- 1,55,005

Puducherry- 20,226

Punjab- 82,113

Rajasthan- 1,04,138

Sikkim- 2,086

Tamil Nadu- 5,08,511

Telangana- 1,60,571

Tripura- 19,696

Uttarakhand- 33,016

Uttar Pradesh- 3,17,195

West Bengal– 2,05,919

State/UT wise total death toll:

Andaman and Nicobar Islands- 52

Andhra Pradesh- 4,972

Arunachal Pradesh- 11

Assam- 482

Bihar- 831

Chandigarh- 98

Chhattisgarh- 573

Dadra and Nagar Haveli- 2

Delhi- 4,770

Goa- 304

Gujarat- 3,227

Haryana- 1,000

Himachal Pradesh- 82

Jammu and Kashmir- 895

Jharkhand- 561

Karnataka- 7,382

Kerala- 454

Ladakh- 41

Madhya Pradesh- 1,791

Maharashtra- 29,894

Manipur- 46

Meghalaya- 27

Nagaland- 10

Odisha- 637

Puducherry- 394

Punjab- 2,424

Rajasthan- 1,250

Sikkim- 16

Tamil Nadu- 8,434

Telangana- 984

Tripura- 207

Uttarakhand- 429

Uttar Pradesh- 4,491

West Bengal- 4,003

However, a total of 38,59,399 people have been cured or discharged. Total active cases stand at 9,90,061.

-CHK

India beats China to secure seat in UN’s ECOSOC body

New Delhi (NVI): India secured its place as a member of the United Nation’s Commission on Status of Women (CSW), a body of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), said TS Tirumurti, permanent representative of India to the United Nations.

India will be a member of the prestigious
ECOSOC body for four years, 2021 to 2025.

Taking to Twitter, Tirumurti said, “India wins seat in prestigious ECOSOC body! India elected member of Commission on Status of Women (CSW). It’s a ringing endorsement of our commitment to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment in all our endeavours. We thank member states for their support,” he added.

Notably, three countries including, India, Afghanistan and China had contested for the elections to reserve a seat in the Commission on Status of Women.

Of the two members to be elected from the Asia-Pacific states, India secured 38 of the 54 ballots. On the other hand, Afghanistan secured 39 ballots, China secured 27, could not even cross the half-way mark.

Earlier on June 18, India was elected as one of the non-permanent members to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) after securing 184 votes out of the total 192.

However, it’s for the eighth time that India has been elected to UNSC. The country has served seven times earlier.

The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is a functional commission of the ECOSOC, one of the main UN organs within the United Nations. The UNCSW is described as the UN organ promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women.

-RJV

Coronavirus cases surge past 29 million worldwide

New Delhi (NVI): More than 29.1 million people around the world have been diagnosed with the coronavirus, and 9,27,307 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University. Nearly 20 million have recovered.

In the US, the number of coronavirus cases have surpassed 6.55 million while the number of fatalities due to the deadly contagion 1,94,000 in the country.

Brazil’s coronavirus infections have crossed 4.8 miliion while the death toll has exceeded 1,32,000.

Turkey’s daily coronavirus deaths have topped its numbers from early May, with 63 fatalities in the past 24 hours. The number of positive COVID-19 cases to stands at nearly 2,93,000 since March.

The Australian state of Victoria reported zero new coronavirus deaths in the past 24 hours, according to its Department of Health and Human Services, the first time in two months since infections surged in July.

Japan recorded 270 new Covid-19 cases on Monday, the lowest daily spike since July 13 before the country was hit by a second wave of infections, according to the Health Ministry. Nine new deaths were also recorded bringing the total death toll to 1,464, with the total caseload at 76,670.

South Korea’s Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said the country plans to secure a supply of coronavirus vaccines for 30 million people or 60 percent of the country’s population.

The southwestern Chinese city of Ruili has been locked down, with all 200,000 residents to be tested for COVID-19 after two Myanmar nationals were diagnosed with the virus.

-CHK

India’s COVID-19 tally crosses 49-lakh mark death toll at 80,776

covid cases
File photo

New Delhi (NVI): At least 83,809 new cases of coronavirus and 1,054 deaths have been reported in India in the last 24 hours.

The total number of coronavirus cases in India crosses 49 lakh-mark and now stands at 49,30,237, with 80,776 deaths due to the pandemic, Union Health Ministry said.

So far, 38,59,400 patients have recovered all over the country, while active cases stands at 9,90,061. With this, the recovery rate also improves further to 80 per cent.

In terms of total number of cases, Maharashtra continues to be the worst affected state with 10,77,374 coronavirus cases followed by Andhra Pradesh with 5,75,079 cases, Tamil Nadu with 5,08,511 positive cases.

The other worst affected states includes Karnataka (4,67,689), Uttar Pradesh (3,17,195) and Delhi (2,21,533).

In terms of fatalities, Maharashtra tops the tally with 29,894 deaths followed by Tamil Nadu (8,434), ministry said.

The death toll in the national capital surged to 4,770 while another 1,88,122 patients have recovered so far, healthy ministry data shows.

According to Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 5,83,12,273 samples tested up to September 14 for COVID-19, of these 10,72,845 were tested yesterday.

Meanwhile, India has consistently maintained a low and declining case fatality rate (1.64 per cent). This is lowest compared to global average of 3.2 per cent and many countries, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) said.

 

-RJV

Encounter breaks out in J&K’s Pulwama

J&K Encounter
Security forces in Kashmir (File Pic)

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): A gunfight between terrorists and security forces is underway in Marwal village of Kakapora area in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, officials said today.

An official said that a joint team of Police, Army’s 50 RR and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation on a specific information about the presence of terrorists in the area.

He said that as the joint teams of forces approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists fired upon them which was retaliated, triggering an encounter.

A senior police officer said that the exchange of fire between forces and terrorists is going on. “The first contact was established at around 6 am and since then firing is going on intermittently,” he said. It is believed that two to three terrorists are trapped in the area.

-RJV

 

No let-up in surge as Covid-19 tally in J&K hits 55,325

Over 3,200 cops COVID positive in J&K and 15 succumbed to virus
File photo

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir today witnessed another spurt in coronavirus cases with 1,229 fresh infections, including 84 travelers, taking the tally of total positive cases in the Union Territory to 55,325.

Of the total 55,325 cases, 37,100 are from Kashmir and 18,225 from the Jammu division. Officials said that among 1,229 new cases, 392 belong to Kashmir division while 837 are from Jammu division, adding that the total number of positive cases in Kashmir has reached 37,100 including 28,211 recoveries.

On the other hand, the total number of positive cases in Jammu division has reached 18,225 including 8,170 recoveries and 160 deaths.

The officials said that total number of active cases in J&K is 18,049 including 8,154 from Kashmir division and 9,895 from Jammu division.

With 644 more recoveries, the tally of total recoveries in the UT has reached 36,381 which is 65.75 percent of the total cases which was over 78 percent a few days before.

Notably, first time since Covid-19 outbreak, active cases have reached over 18,000 in J&K. Active cases in Jammu division are more than recovered cases.

“Cases tested positive in J&K include 119 from Srinagar, 77 from Budgam, 16 from Baramulla, 40 from Pulwama, 24 from Anantnag, 17 from Kupwara, 45 from Bandipora, 02 from Kulgam, 43 from Ganderbal and 08 from Shopian in Kashmir division while as 837 from Jammu division include 392 from Jammu, 54 from Udhampur, 87 from Rajouri, 27 from Kathua, 38 from Samba, 57 from Poonch, 14 from Ramban, 113 from Doda, 29 from Reasi and 26 from Kishtwar,” as per the daily Covid bulletin.

As per the daily information bulletin, 5,25,963 persons in the UT are under observation while 42,090 persons have been kept under home quarantine. Besides that, 18,049 persons are in isolation.

Apart from that, 4,09,911 persons have completed surveillance period and 55,018 persons are under home surveillance. So far, results of 12,48,495 samples are available out of which 1,193,170 stand negative while 55,325 have tested positive. Among positive cases, 18,049 are active and 37,100 persons have recovered.

-ARK

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